Monthly Archives: January 2017

Understanding the Dynamic Nature of Cortisol

Brain, Mental health, Stress, Wellness

I was speaking with a client yesterday morning, and was surprised by her misunderstanding of the stress hormone cortisol. Yes, cortisol is elevated when we are stressed; and, Yes, having chronically elevated cortisol is destructive to the brain and body. However, cortisol is also elevated when we are excited, happy, joyful, and surprised.

For example, think back on a memorable dinner you had a number of years ago. Why do you remember what you ate during this distant meal, but probably don’t remember what you had for lunch two weeks ago? The reason, at least in part, is your cortisol was elevated during the memorable dinner in conjunction with your elevated – presumably positive – emotional state.

So what differentiates “bad” cortisol from “good” cortisol elevation?

Cortisol is part of a dynamic physiological system that evolved to help us remember, and learn from, important events. Elevated cortisol is particularly important when you experience negative events because it facilitates 1) emotional memory consolidation and 2) attention toward emotional information. This was important to our ancestors for dealing with threats in the environment, and for remembering rewarding events.

amygdala-crh-mrna-figure
Administering corticosterone (CORT; the rat version of cortisol) causes physiological changes in rat amygdala (CeA).

It is cortisol’s effects on neuropeptides like corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the amygdala that allows us to effectively encode memories. The digitized images above show that CRH messenger RNA (mRNA) is increased in the central amygdala (CeA) when corticosterone (the equivalent of cortisol in rats) is administered to rats. The cort-treated rats showed enhanced emoional memory in conjunction with the changes in the amygdala (Thompson, Erickson et al., 2004).

So the problem isn’t when cortisol is periodically elevated in response to emotional (negative or positive) situations; this is adaptive and healthy. Our cortisol levels are constantly in flux when we are healthy. The problem is when cortisol is chronically elevated. Chronic cortisol elevation is associated with a number of physical and mental health conditions, and when we are under constant stress our cortisol doesn’t necessarily follow the normal adaptive patterns.

Your cortisol levels may be chronically elevated due to stress if you experience weight gain, obesity, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, irritability, and a number of other symptoms. If you live in a constant state of stress, some relaxation techniques might be helpful, especially if you are experiencing some of these symptoms. Breathing techniques, meditation and muscle relaxation are options that are available to everyone. Listening to music, exercise, and making healthy adjustments to your diet also help reduce stress. Find what you love and make time for it. Make your wellness a priority.

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The Overfat Epidemic

Fitness, Health, Weight loss, Wellness

Body fat

In case you needed another reason to start exercising, I was just introduced to the concept of “overfat” which, as a wellness coach and personal trainer, resonates with me. According to an article just published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, up to 76% of the world population is overfat (1). This group of people includes those who are NOT overweight or obese according to standard height-vs-weight measurements, but still have an unhealthy amount of body fat that threatens their health.

In other words, in addition to the almost 50% of overweight and obese people on the planet, there are as many as 25% additional individuals who have excess unhealthy body fat, even though their weight-to-height ratio is within the healthy range. That’s a total of 5 billion people who need to burn excess fat. 

Percent of the world population estimated to be overfat.

Body fat can be measured using calipers. Skin folds are measured across standardized areas and used to calculate the percentage of body fat in your body. It is difficult to do this type of measurement on yourself, but if you have an experienced examiner it is very reliable. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is another option, and can be done on your own using a scale that calculates body fat or with a handheld BIA device. The downside to this option is less accuracy because it relies on water content in your body to estimate body fat.

The overfat concept resonates with me because I often see people whose BMI (body mass index) is below 25 — the magic number to not exceed according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) — but who are not happy with their bodies. Increasing muscle mass helps to increase metabolism and, consequently, burn fat more efficiently. A side effect of weight training to build muscle is that bone density is positively affected as well.

So what are you waiting for? Exercise and healthy eating will make a difference, reducing the threat of lifestyle-related disease, increasing energy, reducing stress, and improving overall well-being!

 

  1. Philip B. Maffetone, Ivan Rivera-Dominguez, Paul B. Laursen. Overfat and Underfat: New Terms and Definitions Long Overdue. Frontiers in Public Health, 2017; 4 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00279